Returning To The Hobby

CatholicFlyer

Active member
It's been a while since being in the RC Hobby, but found Flite Test on Youtube and got interested in the hobby again, I previously flew the ready to go, just attach the wings of a P-51 and Spitfire my dad and I got from Hobby Lobby, but was not stable on the landings, wings broke too easily. I am building two box planes, from old cardboard boxes laying around, first one my dad and I are working on how to make the first run off of a sprocket system to tighten the rubber bands and spin the rod that spins the prop, going to be a tri-engine. I was thinking if there was a way to connect the side engines to the main sprocket to spin all three engines at once.

The second is a old game camera box and found a old book stand that looks like a wheel borough; and the wheel actually spins, it's made out of wood, so I attached it with tape and specially cut into the box to make a frame for it. Not sure what to do for a engine. I was looking at the electronics on Flite Test to help steer these planes, but very pricey. Any ideas. I will post some photos of the box planes.

The one with a Tri-Engine design, the front wheels are just a number 2 pencil for a rod, cut out cardboard wheels, I attached them with christmas ornament wire and rubber bands, so they bounce, move front, backward, side to side; not just motionless like in the World War One birds, and the rear ones you will see, are just bent over cardboard for skis, It floats when thrown as a glider, everything is good. Just now to make the engines.
 

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Chuppster

Well-known member
First off, welcome to the forums! We love answering questions. Do you mind if I ask my own?

That's some interesting looking cardboard you've got there! Are you trying to make it fly RC? Free Flight? What you see on FliteTest's website is about what you can expect to pay for hobby grade electronics. You can get things cheaper if you do your research but the FT store is a solid place to start your RC journey, in my opinion.

That being said, if you want to by a transmitter to fly RC, I recommend you buy a FlySky FS-i10 ($60-$70) or a Taranis QX7 ($110). These radios will at least get you started or, in the case of the QX7, probably do just about whatever you want. There's a thread here with even more options you can look at. https://forum.flitetest.com/index.php?threads/which-transmitter-you-should-buy.37966/

Do you live in the US? Walmart and Dollar Tree/Dollar General sell foam board, and you can turn $4 in foam board and hot glue into a flying machine. I'm not trying to discourage you from making the gliders in the photos you sent is fly, but I believe they may be too heavy and aerodynamically inefficient to be an effective airplane. That being said, here at Flite Test we have been known to make just about anything fly! (including microwaves) So if you're set on flying cardboard boxes, I'll do all I can to help!
 

CatholicFlyer

Active member
the big one I talked about trying to make into a 3 rubber band engine as I talked about, but have I was wondering about putting on the eletronics that steer the plane, the second one a small one, I'm not sure yet, just tinkering and playing around, might see if I can get it made into a RC plane.
 

CatholicFlyer

Active member
Yes, I live in the US, Western Kansas to be exact. we go to Walmart all the time, but never seen foam board in the craft section.
 

Chuppster

Well-known member
the big one I talked about trying to make into a 3 rubber band engine as I talked about, but have I was wondering about putting on the eletronics that steer the plane, the second one a small one, I'm not sure yet, just tinkering and playing around, might see if I can get it made into a RC plane.

I have yet to see someone hook up three propellers to a single motor. I believe the reason for that is that it is more efficient to have one big propeller than three little ones. If you need a small propeller for some reason, people usually get multiple smaller motors. I can't think off the top of my head a way to couple three props to a single motor safely, especially with the amount of power we use in our airplanes.

Yes, I live in the US, Western Kansas to be exact. we go to Walmart all the time, but never seen foam board in the craft section.

Hmm. Most of the Walmart's here in Indiana have Ross Foam Board for $.88/sheet. But if you can't find it at Walmart maybe check the dollar store? If you're up for scratch building that is. We like foamboard because it's lighter and more workable than cardboard.
 

CatholicFlyer

Active member
yeah, that is why I am still thinking on what to do regarding motors for the big one. Unless you can take rods for each motor, connect them some how with three sprockets, one turns the main engine, then the main sprocket turns the other two.
 

Chuppster

Well-known member
yeah, that is why I am still thinking on what to do regarding motors for the big one. Unless you can take rods for each motor, connect them some how with three sprockets, one turns the main engine, then the main sprocket turns the other two.

I'm sure it can be done, it just sounds complicated. But if anyone has any ideas I'm all ears!
 

CatholicFlyer

Active member
I'm thinking of how those old clocks work, if three sprockets turns the gears in those old clocks or even more sprockets, then why couldn't we take those old methods of clock making and put it into planes.
 

CatholicFlyer

Active member
yep, I was just trying to continue to think how to use the concept of how the clock works, sprockets fitting together to turn all the parts, then use that system to turn three rubber bands super tight, then once they release, those sprockets would be turning fast wouldn't they?
 

Chuppster

Well-known member
You can give it a shot if you want! I can't see it working that well, but experimentation is the best proof!
If you haven't seen this video, it's a good primer on electronics.

Motors used to be geared, back in the days of brushed motors, but they were much less efficient because gears reduce efficiency. Everything we do nowadays is direct drive.
 

cranialrectosis

Faster than a speeding face plant!
Mentor
Use a rubber band winder for planes (yes that's really a thing).

This way you don't carry the winder during the flight and the energy of the rubber bands will last much longer.

The simpler and lighter your craft, the easier and less expensive in money and time it will be to maintain, particularly after you crash it.

Everyone and I mean EVERYONE crashes and busts up their plane.

I can imagine having to try to find all the gears when you are picking up the tail and wings and putting them in a bag after a crash.

Seriously, build a nutball and fly/crash it. You will learn a TON and come to love simplicity for simplicity's sake.

"Simplicity is the ultimate sophistication." - Da Vinci
 

Chuppster

Well-known member
Another thing to consider is that if you have other shafts linked to the main motor, those shafts will need bearings and collars to keep them turning smoothly and keep them from coming off. This is added weight. By the time you design and build the system you could buy another motor or two.

Gearing is required for RC cars because the wheels don't spin as fast. Some of our slower motors/props spin at 10,000 rpm. Most quad motors will do 30,000 rpm. That's really fast, and difficult to design an gearbox around.